1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a clip and a pillar garnish mounting structure using this clip. In this specification, the term “mounting structure” may be regarded as a mounting device.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-113419 (JP 2013-113419 A) describes a clip and a pillar garnish mounting structure that uses this clip. The clip serves to attach a pillar garnish that houses a curtain airbag (hereinafter also referred to as a curtain shield airbag (CSA)) to a pillar, as well as to prevent the pillar garnish from flying out when the CSA is deployed.
The clip according to the related art (hereinafter also referred to as the “clip of the related art”) includes a base, a body mounting portion (a shaft portion), and a collar portion (also referred to as a rattle inhibiting elastic piece, or an elastic piece). The body mounting portion is orthogonal to one side of the base. Also, the body mounting portion has an arm and a body retaining protrusion. The body retaining protrusion is formed on a portion of the arm that faces the base. The elastic piece extends in a radial shape from the center of the clip toward the outer periphery, and at an angle with respect to the base. When the body mounting portion is inserted into a body retaining hole and the clip is attached to the body, a body retaining hole peripheral edge portion of the body is sandwiched between the body retaining protrusion and the elastic piece. Therefore, looseness between the clip and the body is absorbed by elastic deformation of the elastic piece, so the clip is prevented from rattling against the body.
However, the clip according to the related art has the following issues. Because the elastic piece extends at an angle and in a radial shape from the center of the clip toward the outer periphery, the outer shape of the elastic piece becomes larger if a large elastic piece deformation allowance is to be ensured in the clip insertion direction. Therefore, the flat surface of the body required for the clip mounting seat becomes wider, so more clip mounting space is necessary.
Conversely, if the flat surface required for the clip mounting seat, and the space are kept down, the deformation allowance of the elastic piece in the direction of clip insertion will be unable to be made any larger. As a result, it is difficult to determine whether the clip is properly engaged with the body since reaction force of the elastic piece has rapidly increased immediately after the elastic piece contacts the body. It is difficult to determine whether the clip is not engaged (i.e., in a state in which both of a pair of engaging protrusions are not engaged) or is partially engaged (i.e., in a state in which one of the pair of retaining protrusions is not engaged). Also, a change in plate thickness of the body panel tends to not easily be absorbed due to deformation of the elastic piece.